Sotheby's Cleaners and Porters Protest Outside London Contemporary Art Sale
Last night in London, a group of Sotheby's cleaners and porters protested outside the auction house, demanding that it implement the London Living Wage.
Last night in London, a group of Sotheby’s cleaners and porters protested outside the auction house, demanding that it implement the London Living Wage — a government-calculated hourly payment that’s meant to enable low-income earners to afford living in one of the world’s most expensive cities. The rally was organized by United Voices of the World (UVW), a trade union that advocates for fair working conditions for mostly low-paid, migrant workers, including the demonstrators. UVW has long been in negotiations with Sotheby’s, which had previously agreed to implement the London Living Wage before replacing its contracted cleaning service with a new provider, Servest, as Art F City reported. Under the new partnership, Sotheby’s retracted prior agreements to pay the current Living Wage and to implement contractual (as opposed to statutory) sick pay, leaving employees outraged.
The July 1 protest, which drew nearly 100 people to action on one of the hottest days of the year, occurred during a major auction that witnessed the record sale of a Warhol painting for nearly £21 million (over $32.5 million). That price tag helped lead to Sotheby’s highest total earnings in one night, which has only spurred more anger. The conflict escalated further when UVW posted a furious statement on Facebook this morning, reporting that Sotheby’s had fired all its employees who participated in the protest:
PLEASE READ THIS AND SPREAD THE WORD: all the courageous cleaners and porters that took part in the protest yesterday demanding sick pay and an end to trade union victimisation have been sacked by the scumbag Sotheby’s and their stooge contractor Servest. Some of them have been working for Sotheby’s for over 5 years. We will now fight tirelessly for their reinstatement. Please write to us if you would like to get directly involved in the campaign so we can co-ordinate our actions. We will need all the support we can get. We will not let Sotheby’s get away with us. Protesting is a right, not a crime!
Sotheby’s, however, rejects the accusations: Senior Director of Communications Matthew Weigman told Hyperallergic over the phone that the auction house has not sacked but rather suspended only four cleaners — with full pay — who “had attempted to assault our clients by shooting water pistols and blocking them from entering the building.” UVW is standing its ground and has called the Sotheby’s officials “lying, low life scumbags.” Hyperallergic has reached out to UVW multiple times but has not received a response.
Shiri Shalmy, an independent curator who attended the event with members of Open School East, did not mention any water pistol–related incidents, telling Hyperallergic in an email that the atmosphere was “positive and up-beat, with lots of music, dancing.” The choir Strawberry Thieves led a sing-a-long while protestors waved banners painted with phrases like, “ANGRY ARTIST” and “WE ARE ALL PERCY” — a reference to Percy Yunganina, a Sotheby’s porter who has had a very active role in the union. Meanwhile, security guards stood by the entrance of the auction house to ensure that visitors could attend the sale without trouble.
“It was particularly telling to watch how people attending the auction reacted to the demonstration,” Shalmy wrote in her email. “Most ran past the protesters, ushered in by hired, private security guards assisted by London police, trying to avoid any eye contact that will force them to acknowledge the injustice inflicted by Sotheby’s. It seemed to me that they felt any interaction with the protesters will implicate them.”
In response to the alleged dismissals, which she believes are true, Shalmy echoed what many are condemning on social media: a powerhouse’s exploitation of the people it depends on.
“This is a testament of Sotheby’s contempt for the individuals involved and unionized work in general,” she wrote. “Like in other similar struggles, artists stood in solidarity with cleaners and porters working in private and public art institutions. We are all part of what it takes to make exhibitions, concerts, and performances. We are all cultural workers.”
